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Protest Rally Main Image

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A group of people protest. A cardboard sign reads: Good lives disabled by Penny's lies. Another sign reads: Carers care, do you?

Tāmaki Makaurau disability communities protest funding cuts

Olivia Author Photo
By Olivia Shivas

"No ifs, no buts, stop the disability funding cuts," chanted around 100 protesters gathered in Auckland's CBD on a wet and windy Sunday afternoon.

Image description: A group of disabled and nondisabled people protest, with a man speaking into a megaphone in front of the crowd. A cardboard sign reads: Good lives disabled by Penny's lies. Another sign reads: Carers care, do you?

  • A group of disabled and nondisabled people protest, with a man speaking into a megaphone in front of the crowd. A cardboard sign reads: Good lives disabled by Penny's lies. Another sign reads: Carers care, do you?

Image description: Two disabled women pose for a photo on Queen Street; one is using a powered-wheelchair and wears a face mask. 

  • Two disabled women pose for a photo on Queen Street; one is using a powered-wheelchair and wears a face mask. 
  • Lorri Mackness and Vicki Terrell

    Lorri: "To uphold the mana of people who are disabled."

    Vicki: "I'm here because I want to support the disability community and I think it's really important to show solidarity, and I'm really appalled by the cuts."

Image description: A dad and two kids hold up cardboard placards; one reads: Return my rights! 

  • A dad and two kids hold up cardboard placards; one reads: Return my rights! 

Image description: A crowd of protesters listen to speakers at a rally. A sign reads: Respect carers.

  • A crowd of protestors listen to speakers at a rally. A sign reads: Respect carers.

Image description: A man with a black cap and pro-Palestine clothing is at a protest in front of city buildings.

  • A man with a black cap and pro-Palestine clothing is at a protest in front of city buildings.
  • Paul Brown

    "We keep hearing the Government don't care, but it's a deliberate attack on disabled people's rights." 

Image description: The wheels of a powered-wheelchair are rolling next to signs that read: Nothing about us without us, and Stop the cuts.

  • The wheels of a powered-wheelchair are rolling next to signs that read: Nothing about us without us, and Stop the cuts.

Image description: A woman with a prosthetic leg stands behind a baby pram and holds up two signs that read: Stop cuts, stop disabling our good lives! And: Kāti tēnā!

  • A woman with a prosthetic leg stands behind a baby pram and holds up two signs that read: Stop cuts, stop disabling our good lives! And: Kāti tēnā!

Image description: A young wheelchair-user wears glasses and holds up a sign that reads: Reverse the funding cut. 

  • A young wheelchair-user wears glasses and holds up a sign that reads: Revere the funding cut. 
  • Emma Cooper-Williams

    "I'm here because I have a right to be here and a right to access support, and be here in solidarity for everyone around the country."

Image description: A crowd of people with a placard that reads: Reverse the cuts. Flexible budgets now.

  • A crowd of people with a placard that reads: Reverse the cuts. Flexible budgets now.

Image description: A crowd of disabled and nondisabled people chant at a protest rally, a sign reads: Carers are a frontline service. Respite is essential for the welling of families. 

  • A crowd of disabled and nondisabled chant at a protest rally, a sign reads: Carers are a frontline service. Respite is essential for the welling of families.

Image description: A family with a woman in a wheelchair holds up a sign that reads: Give back flexibility, give me back my voice, give me back my choice, ordinary life outcomes!!!

  • A family with a young woman in a wheelchair hold up a sign that reads: Give back flexibility, give me back my voice, give me back my choice, ordinary life outcomes!!!
  • Mark, Denise and Melissa Hoffman

    Denise: "For her and other kids to have access to devices."

Image description: A crowd gathers at a protest rally. A woman stands in the middle raising and clapping her hands.

  • A crowd gathers at a protest rally. A woman stands in the middle raising and clapping her hands.

Image description: The back of a wheelchair-user wearing a blue jacket is among the crowd at a protest rally.

  • The back of a wheelchair-user wearing a blue jacket is among the crowd at a protest rally.

Image description: A man and woman hold a megaphone and stand in front of signs that read: Nothing about us without us.

  • A man and woman hold a megaphone and stand in front of signs that read: Nothing about us without us.
  • Scott and Melissa Peterson

    Melissa: "We want to reverse the funding cuts for the community - which the Government did without consultation from the community - and the changes to access equipment that you need for mobility."

Image description: A dog is lying on the ground among a crowd. A woman is in the background videoing on her phone.

  • A dog is lying on the ground among a crowd. A woman is in the background recording on her phone.

Image description: A man holds up a sign that reads: To Nicola Willis, Give Whaikaha (Ministry of Disabled People) a budget to support disabled people and their carers to have equity.

  • A man holds up a sign that reads: To Nicola Willis, Give Whaikaha (Ministry of Disabled People) a budget to support disabled people and their carers to have equity.

Image description: A child with Down syndrome sits in a pushchair and a woman stands beside him with a placard reading: System change. Flexible funding. 

  • A child with Down syndrome sits in a pushchair and a woman stands beside him with a placard reading: System change. Flexible funding. 
  • Phoenix and Julie

    Julie: "We need flexible funding back, otherwise mums will burnout without respite."

Image description: A man speaks into a microphone and a woman communicates in New Zealand Sign Language next to him.

  • A man speaks into a microphone and a woman communicates in New Zealand Sign Language next to him.

Image description: A group of people protest. A cardboard sign reads: Good lives disabled by Penny's lies. Another sign reads: Carers care, do you?

  • A group of people protest. A cardboard sign reads: Good lives disabled by Penny's lies. Another sign reads: Carers care, do you?

Image description: A young person in a powered-wheelchair and another young person head towards a crowd of people at a protest rally. 

  • A young person in a powered-wheelchair and another young person head towards a crowd of people at a protest rally. 

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